TagSAMP(642)

A public meeting was held on September 10, 2018, at Highline Community College to allow Des Moines residents to weigh in on the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), which outlines Sea-Tac Airport's growth strategy through 2027. The plan proposes removing limits on Third Runway use and adding 80,000 more annual flights on top of the existing 416,000, raising community concerns about noise, health risks, property values, and environmental justice. Residents were urged to attend and submit comments before the scoping period closed on September 28, 2018.

This document contains public scoping comments from a September 10, 2018 hearing, including testimony from Jill Aldrich, a property owner of over 50 years, who raised concerns about a building site on 24th Avenue South near Des Moines Creek. She described observing bulldozed dirt and construction activity in close proximity to a stream located in a King County-designated Critical Area, visible from the Des Moines Creek Trail. Her comments reflect community concerns about environmental protection of nearby waterways during nearby development.

The Port of Seattle outlined an environmental review schedule for the NTP (Noise Trajectory Program) at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, spanning 2018 to 2019. Key steps included public scoping meetings held in September 2018 in cities such as Des Moines, Seattle, Federal Way, and Sea-Tac, followed by environmental analysis and the release of draft and final NEPA/SEPA documents through late 2019. Community members could submit scoping comments by September 28, 2018, via the project website, email, mail, or in person at scoping meetings.

The Des Moines Aviation Advisory Committee met on August 13, 2018 to discuss the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) environmental scoping process, including a public scoping meeting scheduled for September 10, 2018 at Highline College. Committee members, city officials, and residents raised concerns about airport noise, air and water pollution, and the scope of the environmental review, which will cover both state (SEPA) and federal (NEPA) requirements. The committee encouraged broad community participation in the upcoming scoping meeting and discussed ensuring that airport expansion since 2012 be included in the review.

The Federal Way Mayor's Quiet and Healthy Skies Task Force Report, published August 2, 2018, examines how increased flight operations and Sea-Tac International Airport's third runway have worsened aircraft noise and air pollution for Federal Way residents. The report evaluates potential remedies such as changes to flight paths, glide slopes, and schedules, while also analyzing legal authority over cargo flight curfews and reviewing the airport's Sustainable Airport Master Plan. It concludes with recommendations aimed at reducing the disproportionate noise and health burdens placed on Federal Way communities.

This report, produced by Community Attributes Inc. for the Port of Seattle and revised in August 2018, analyzes the economic impacts of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac). It is included as Appendix K in a broader study covering socioeconomics and children's health topics related to airport operations. The findings are intended to inform decision makers about the airport's role in the regional economy and its effects on surrounding communities.